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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24142540">until my last breath</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/baonana/pseuds/baonana'>baonana</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>???? - Freeform, Angst, I'm Sorry, M/M, Murder, Running Away, Sad Ending, Spanish Colonial Period, lapslock, set in the Philippines</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 18:21:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,576</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24142540</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/baonana/pseuds/baonana</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>the last moments of a peasant and his lover</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>until my last breath</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hello to you, especially if you're a filipino!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>the sound of people laughing and chattering filled jeno’s ears as he walked up the stairs and into the gorgeous ballroom. everything about the room is pleasing to the eyes — chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling, a long table filled with mouthwatering food, ladies wearing their best filipinianas while gentlemen with their newly tailored barong.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>this is everything jeno could ever dream of having. a life with jaemin like this where they would throw parties here and there just to show off their wealth. but he knew they still have a long way to go. his family was drowning in poverty and struggling to feed six children. jeno was the oldest and he has the obligation to help his family rise up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>as he stared at the view in front of him, he realized how unfair the world is. the vegetables and rice his family farmed is served in front of him in a silver platter, ready to be devoured by these wealthy politicians, while it takes a few months for his family to have a decent meal.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘maybe i should sneak some out for them.’</span>
  </em>
  <span> jeno thought.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>jeno snapped out of his thoughts when someone grabbed his arm and pulled him to the side. he looked at the person with wide eyes and immediately softened when he saw who it was.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“looking quite dashing in your barong, señor.” the man who usually wore ragged clothes was now wearing a nicely tailored barong tagalog with his hair swept a little upwards, making jaemin's heart melt.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“jaemin.” jeno hugged him gently, careful not to ruin their dresses. the latter hugged him back and rested his chin on his shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“is something bothering you? you looked dazed earlier.” jaemin asked, pulling away to look at his lover's face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>jeno shook his head no. he held jaemin’s right hand and kissed it softly, then looked at him lovingly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“i was just thinking about how beautiful your house is. i would love to give you something as grand as this in the future. maybe even something bigger and fancier.” jeno rested his forehead on jaemin’s, hands circling around his tiny waist.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“hmm. i don’t really need a big house, nor a bunch of jewelries. a life with you is worth way more than everything i possess.” jaemin brought a hand up to cup jeno’s cheek and stepped closer to lock their lips together.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>it was a magical moment. they kissed in the dark corner of the house with mellow music playing faintly from the ballroom. the couple swayed slowly to the melody as they savoured each other’s mouths, holding each other close as if they would never see each other again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>and in that moment, they both knew what they wanted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>jaemin pulled away from the kiss, slightly panting.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“let’s run away. please.” jeno looked at his lover’s eyes which had nothing but pure determination to leave his own household.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“but.. what about your family? mr. na will have my head if he finds out—”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“no one will find out!” jaemin hissed, but immediately softened when he saw the fear in jeno’s face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“i’m sorry i just- i just want to leave this place.” he said, voice dripping with sadness. jaemin rested his forehead on jeno’s shoulder and calmed himself down while jeno rubbed his back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“it’s okay. but jaemin, are you really sure about this? are you willing to give up such a glorious life where you can have everything you want, for a mere peasant like me? do you understand that once we escaped this, it will be difficult to go back alive?” jeno asked and continued. “i can give you nothing but a small hut and simple food from our farm. we will have to walk when we travel because i do not own a kalesa nor a carabao. at least not now. please think this through. we both want to be wedded in the future, but this is such a big risk—”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“i’m getting married in a month.” jaemin cut him off, closing his eyes tightly, afraid of what jeno would say, how he would react.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“jeno, my dad set me up on a marriage with a spanish man seven years older than me. they will send me to Manila after the marriage in exchange for a business deal.” jaemin once again looked at jeno, tears now streaming down his face as he remembered meeting his fiance earlier.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“please, love, i’m begging you. take me away from all of this. i could not care less what you can give me. i just want to be with you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>jeno thought about what he said. he could not bear to see his lover get married to another man just for wealth. mr. na was basically selling his own son for cash. he wouldn’t let him suffer under the hands of a cold-hearted man.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“tomorrow at dusk. meet me at the riverside in the nearby forest. you know where to go.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>—</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>the sky was turning a beautiful shade of light pink, orange, and purple. the sun is setting and jeno is now waiting for his beloved to arrive. his small wooden boat gently rocking from the gentle current of the river.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>a few moments later, he heard footsteps from afar. it immediately made him smile, but he realized that there were several footsteps approaching him. he turned around and saw from afar a bunch of men walking to his direction. two men were dragging a familiar figure in between them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>jeno squinted his eyes and widen in fear when he saw jaemin gagged with a white cloth, hands tied behind his back and bawling his eyes out.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>the group reached jeno and he stood there face to face with a tall man in a noble uniform. it was jaemin’s soon to be husband.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>the two men holding jaemin came in front and pushed him to the ground and removed the cloth in his mouth.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“you are sick, johnny! let me go!” jaemin screamed as he squirmed furiously trying to escape but to no avail.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>before jeno could run to him, the rest of the group held him back and pushed him on his knees. the impact hurt, but he couldn’t mind his own pain when the love of his life is wounded right in front of him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“i can’t believe you are going to run away with this dirty peasant. general na would be so disappointed in you, sweetheart.” johnny scoffed, bending down and grabbing jaemin’s hair. “you are not going anywhere. you will marry me and do as i say. this is what happens when you choose love over wealth.” he then nodded towards his men and started to surround him. jaemin frantically shook his head.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“no no no. please! johnny don’t hurt him please!” tears streamed down his face as johnny forced him to watch the scene unveil, still grabbing his hair.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“say goodbye to your lover, darling. watch him bleed his love for you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>the men started to kick and punch jeno who was trying to fight back. one man kicked his leg and he fell to the ground, yelling in pain. they continued kicking him everywhere— his legs, his stomach, his torso. another man then sat on jeno’s stomach and started punching his face violently, sending jaemin to hysterics watching jeno get beaten up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“stop! please johnny i will marry you. just please stop them, don’t hurt him!” jaemin screamed and wailed, thrashing his body in attempt to escape. but johnny was too strong.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>johnny didn’t listen. instead, he stared at the scene in front. the peasant was now covered in his own blood. his face barely identifiable from the wounds the punches caused. his body is limping and multiple broken bones is evident.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“stop.” johnny said, and his men obliged.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>jaemin sighed in relief. jeno was still breathing and if they let go of them, he could still make it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>johnny walked towards the group. he tugged jeno up onto his knees, and jaemin watched in horror as he pulled out his sword.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“no..” jaemin whispered. a new set of tears running down his still wet cheeks.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>he looked at jeno who is now so weak and wounded. still, the latter managed to give him a smile and mouthed an ‘i love you’.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>then blood streamed out of his mouth as johnny impaled the peasant’s stomach.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“NO!” jaemin cried in grief watching the love of his life fall to the ground.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>johnny’s group gathered and was about to leave when the leader walked to jaemin, cut the ropes tied around his wrists and whispered, “see you on our wedding, sweetheart.” and proceeded in the forest.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>jaemin ran to jeno and carefully rested his torso on his lap with an arm supporting his head.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“my love, forgive me.” jaemin softly said. his voice shaking as he cried nonstop, looking down on jeno’s bloodied face, still coughing out blood. “this is all my fault.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“i- i love you, n- na jaemin. and i’m- i’m s-sorry, love.” jeno struggled to speak, but jaemin understood. jaemin nodded and gave him a small smile.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“i love you more. forever. and it’s okay, love. i’m here. you can rest now.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>jaemin hugged jeno until his last breath, not caring that he too is getting stained with blood. they stayed like that on the ground. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>until the last ray of sunshine vanished, and darkness loomed over the forest and jaemin’s heart.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thank you for reading! &lt;33</p>
<p>comments are appreciated uwu</p>
<p>ps. this is actually a few months old and poorly written so i'm sorry TuT i'm just reposting it here</p></blockquote></div></div>
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